Son Of Fruit Vendor Murdered Outside Philadelphia Home Calls Father A ‘Peaceful Family Man’

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A day after an elderly fruit vendor was stabbed to death outside his home in Philadelphia, his son has contacted Eyewitness News with a statement on his father.

In an email, Leeto Ly, identifies himself as the youngest son of Don Ly, who was murdered by an unknown suspect around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday while loading up his fruit cart (see previous story).

Ly writes about his father:

“My father Don Ly was gentle and kind to all people. He was a good person in every sense of the word. He was peaceful and never bears any ill will against any soul. He worked very hard to support his family. He never smokes, drinks or gamble and was in good health. He was always kind and patience with his children. All four of his children are college graduates, 3 graduated from Drexel University and all are working professionally. It is very unjust and undeserving to all that is goodness in the world that his life ended so suddenly and violently.

My father was a farmer back in South Vietnam. My family owned subsistence vegetable farming and a small longan plantation. We sold all of that over 20 years ago to come to America where we found our way once again to the fruit business, selling fruit salad at University of Pennsylvania campus at 34th and Walnut Street since 1995. My father was also a policeman in his early day; and a monk teacher in nearby temple, where he was well respected for his knowledge and kindness to this day by all who knew him. He was kind to all people and all who knew him a little or a lot welcomes him wherever he went.

My father was an exemplary peaceful family man; a model citizen who voted at every election. My family only has friends and no animosity with anybody whatsoever. Thing like this never happened in my neighborhood. For someone to be able to take my father’s life so suddenly and violently is beyond word. Perhaps my father was a saint and he died to take away the killer’s sin. Or it must have been Death itself to come and takes my father’s life because his time on earth has ended. But to end a kind and gentle soul in such violent way is totally absolutely unacceptable, undeserving, and unjust to all that is goodness in the world.
If you know anything about this case, please contact the police.”